Guardians overcome Cubs' 9th-inning rally, win in 10

 

[July 03, 2023]  Josh Naylor hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the 10th inning, and the visiting Cleveland Guardians overcame a blown four-run lead in the ninth to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-6 on Sunday night.

With runners on second and third in the extra frame, Naylor singled up the middle against Adbert Alzolay (1-4) to break the 6-6 tie. Sam Hentges (1-0) then held Chicago scoreless in its half of the 10th for Cleveland, which led 6-0 after 4 1/2 innings, but allowed the Cubs to rally before prevailing for a second straight win following Friday's 10-1 series-opening defeat.

After Cleveland starter Aaron Civale held the Cubs to a run on three hits through six innings, Christopher Morel clubbed his team-leading 15th homer of the season in the eighth. Chicago then erased a 6-2 hole by scoring four times against Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase in the ninth.

Jared Young led off the ninth with a walk and ended up on third via two passed balls by Cleveland catcher Cam Gallagher. He scored on a single by Trey Mancini, who eventually came home on Morel's two-run single. Cody Bellinger tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

Chicago's Jameson Taillon continued to struggle by allowing six runs (five earned) and seven hits while striking out six through five innings. The Cubs have lost six of their last seven following an 11-2 stretch.

Jul 1, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) forces out Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger (24) at second base during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

With a man on in the third, Andres Gimenez drove a neck-high pitch from Taillon into the right field seats for a 2-0 Guardians lead. Cleveland made it 3-0 in the fourth when Naylor reached on an infield single and eventually scored on a David Fry fielder's choice.

In the fifth, Gimenez doubled Gallagher over to third and both came home on a single by Amed Rosario, who ended up scoring on Josh Bell's groundout. But Chicago got on the board in the bottom of the inning on Mike Tauchman's RBI groundout.

Rain pushed back the original 2:20 p.m. ET start to 5:05 p.m., and another delay caused first pitch to come at 7 p.m.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.